Various forms of pentagram and hexagram rituals
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93 all. I have a brief but broad question: under what circumstances would one opt to perform the Greater or Supreme Ritual of the Pentagram (invoking or banishing) instead of the Lesser? My best guess is "well, when you REALLY need to banish/invoke" but I'm sure it's deeper than that. What kind of work would warrant upping the ante with the rituals? Are the Greater and Supreme rituals just more specific than the Lesser as opposed to "more powerful/effective?"
As far as hexagram rituals, I just don't understand exactly what "working with the Planets" would actually entail, and thus what I could gain from doing it. Can someone point me toward a good text or online source (preferably the latter, as I'm broke) where I can learn this?
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@Ash said
"93 all. I have a brief but broad question: under what circumstances would one opt to perform the Greater or Supreme Ritual of the Pentagram (invoking or banishing) instead of the Lesser? My best guess is "well, when you REALLY need to banish/invoke" ..."
That's one reason. As an invoking ritual, it's also a major integrative formula, a micro-variant of the Portal ritual that activates and integrates all of the Elements. (PS - I'm interpreting "Greater or Supreme" to mean what the GD called Supreme, and what Liber O wrongly labelled "Greater." The actual Greater ritual has never been published. I clarify this just so that I don't confuse those who actually know it.)
"As far as hexagram rituals, I just don't understand exactly what "working with the Planets" would actually entail, and thus what I could gain from doing it. Can someone point me toward a good text or online source (preferably the latter, as I'm broke) where I can learn this?"
It could mean many things. For example, if you wanted to do a ritual of Mars / Geburah for magical protection, or one of Luna / Yesod for rearchitecting the subconscious patterns of your psyche. (Source? Not online. I was going to refer you to my 776 1/2 which has multiple examples of such rituals.) Or, even in astral work, if you are, say, sojourning the Path of Resh, then you would invoke the Sun.
And, of course, it can mean many other things.
PS - Normally (not invariably; but normally), working with the planet begins after one has completed the purification, strengthening, and reintegration of the Elements. Thus (for example), in the G.D. the First Order work pertained to the Elements; these were integrated in the Portal; and the Second Order work began the work of the planets.
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@Ash said
"What exactly is one banishing or invoking when they draw the pentagrams at the 4 quarters? What is the significance of the quarters? I'm not sure why I didn't think of this before."
Are you speaking of the (generic) Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram, or one that is focussed on a specific element?
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The Banishing Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram fortifies your aura to the particular effect that (1) specific random peskly astral intrusions bounce off without drawing your attention and (2) in general, things at odds with your True Will have less capacity to derail you.
The Invoking Lesser Ritual adds to this an intensified influx of Light.
By observation, I'm inclined to say that the Invoking is more suitable for moving inward (as if entering a holy place), and to some extent leaves one more vulnerable to things to which one is exposed. The Banishing is more suitable for moving out into the world.
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That makes sense, thank you. I'm still confused as to what the "4 quarters" are exactly, though; I mean, I know they're obviously East, South, West, and North, but what purpose does drawing pentagrams in those directions serve? Are they just associated with elements or something similar, or do they play their own role? I haven't read anything that gave a solid answer in any of the online versions of the ritual.
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@Ash said
"That makes sense, thank you. I'm still confused as to what the "4 quarters" are exactly, though; I mean, I know they're obviously East, South, West, and North, but what purpose does drawing pentagrams in those directions serve? Are they just associated with elements or something similar, or do they play their own role? I haven't read anything that gave a solid answer in any of the online versions of the ritual."
In some situations they are associated with the Elements - for example, the archangels in the Pentagram Ritual are elementally cued. They relate most simply to the four directions, which (among other things) are representative of the rising, culmination, setting, and anticulmination of the Sun and other celestial bodies. The cross they form is basic to a framework of manifestation.
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Awesome, thank you - I still need to completely integrate all these distinct but related ideas. I've found that as I learn more and integrate it better so that it becomes natural, the ritual goes better and I get more results. I think about the deosil movement of the ritual and its significance all the time but for some reason didn't associate it specifically with the pentagrams I was drawing.
